( 36 ) 



was always a few minutes late in entering a place, or some yards 

 behind Captain Strover on leaving. At these odd moments I made 

 the best use of my eyes, for I felt in all probability this would be 

 the last time I should ever enter the palace under similar circum- 

 stances. 



65. After the usual ceremony of introduction had been gone 

 _ . , „, „ through, and the Resident interrogat- 



Introduction to the Ministers of „j^i. v-cj.- ri„ 



State and attendant circumstances. ed as to m y a g e > qualifications, etc., 



and other questions of a similarly in- 

 quisitive nature, the conversation took a more chit-chat form, and I 

 was asked by one of the Ministers who had recently visited England, 

 whether I had been to London, and seen the different sights he 

 enumerated. Unfortunately I had, at which he seemed both dis- 

 appointed and surprised. I have often remarked that it affords the 

 greatest satisfaction to Orientals who have visited England to find 

 that they have witnessed sights novel even to Europeans. When 

 visiting the Governor of Mogoung, whose favour I had an object in 

 winning, I lost no opportunity of lubricating the old man's fancies in 

 every possible manner with the oil of gammon, and, of course, always 

 expressed surprise at the wonderful sights his son had seen when 

 visiting England with the Burmese Embassy, but the old charla- 

 tan was not easily to be hoodwinked, as will be seen as I progress 

 with my narrative. During the conversation pan suparee chewing 

 and smoking was freely carried on by the Ministers, in front of 

 whom were placed silver spittoons, the rest of the officials spitting 

 through the holes in the floor, perforated for that express purpose 

 as previously described. After charging his mouth to an extent that 

 necessitated the thumb and finger process to get the last end of the 

 quid in, I curiously watched one of the Ministers to see what next 

 he was about to produce from the bottom of his handsome gold suparee 

 box, when much to my disgust a fowl's feather was leisurely unrolled 

 from a very greasy piece of paper, with which he commenced tt 

 tickle his ear ; this revolting practice at an end, the feather was 

 carefully rolled up again in the same filthy paper, and put away in 

 its original place. A pair of pincers was next brought out, with 

 which an incessant click-click was kept up, accompanied by two other 

 officials, while they were busily engaged plucking all the hairs out 

 of their old wrinkled chins. Burmans have a great aversion to any 

 hair growing on the face excepting in the form of a light moustache, 

 the reason for this I have been told, is that it is objected to by the 

 fair sex, and interferes with the kissing process, or rather smelling, 

 for the Burmese do not kiss ! In the present instance, however, I 

 do not think the old men referred to, could have been actuated by 

 any such foolish motive, for many years must have passed since 



